


Step by Step

by hrhowling



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Canon Compliant until the end of Age of Ultron, Gen, Loki is a good friend, Secrets, Therapy, spoilers for Age of Ultron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 03:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6784036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hrhowling/pseuds/hrhowling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The road to recovery is long, scary and painful, but at least with a dog, a best friend and a therapist, it's not lonely.<br/>###<br/>A collection of interrelated drabbles and oneshots about the happenings of the Avengers Compound, and the misadventures of Bucky and his dog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**1**

She still saw a prison of ice every time she met his eyes. But that wasn't often, so she usually had to look for other signs that he'd changed. Body language and the way he spoke were the main tells on what was going on in his head, albeit more than a little vague. Crossed arms and a dull, monotone voice told her he'd more than likely had a bad day. He had a lot of those. Sometimes, he'd fiddle with pens as he idly chatted about how he'd been, and his shoulders would be less hunched than usual. Those were the rare 'better days', when the past didn't haunt him and the seventy years of programming were slowly breaking down to allow the man beneath to show his face. 

It had been three weeks since he'd started seeing her. Not much progress had been made; the claws of conditioning were still latched firmly onto the man's fragile mind, refusing to let go. It didn't put her off, though. He'd helped her; saved her, even. She was determined to return the favour. 

Today was another bad day. He wasn't looking at her, and his arms were held close to his body as he absently stroked his dog's head. That was another tell. Mick rarely left his side on days like this. 

"Did something bad happen today?" Lucille asked gently, noting the way Jame's fingers twitched. 

"Yes," was the blunt reply. No elaboration. No emotion. As was expected. 

"Would you like to talk about it?" 

That was how these sessions worked. Simple yes or no questions; don't ever make him think that there was a right or wrong answer. Sure, there were preferable answers, but no wrong ones. He was still getting used to that. 

"No." 

Well. That was new. Usually, he would either say 'yes', and struggle to find the right words to string together into an answer, or remain stubbornly silent until Lucille asked something else. 

"That's fine," Lucille said softly, scribbling in her notebook in messy shorthand. "Have you remembered anything new since we last spoke?" 

There was a pause as James stopped to think. With a slight huff, he dug around in his pockets and brought out his own notebook, flipping open to the latest page. 

"Just that I liked buttered popcorn," he siad, hardly seeming impressed by the revelation. "And I'd make it with Steve sometimes." 

At this, Lucille shot him an encouraging smile. "That's good. It's often the small things that make up the most important parts of us. For example; I like cats. Might not seem very important _now,_ but to an abandoned litter of kittens, that small detail could be a lifesaver." 

James didn't say anything for a while; too preoccupied with scratching Mick behind the ears. 

"I guess," he murmured. 

Lucille nodded at that. "That's good." She paused and checked her watch. "Well, that's all for today; I'd rather not overwhelm you with chitchat. Um... if you ever end up making popcorn before we meet up again, let me know how it went, okay? It might jog a few more memories." 

James nodded. "Okay. Should I keep writing things down?" 

"That'd be best; yes. You still have my phone number, don't you?" 

"Yes." 

"Okay. If you ever want to talk, then just call me, okay? Have a good afternoon, James." 

"You too." 


	2. Popcorn

**2 - Popcorn**

"How do you make popcorn?" 

It took Tony's sleep-deprived mind a few seconds to realise that not  only was someone speaking to him, but someone was in his lab with neither his permission nor knowledge. When it finally clicked, he literally jumped out of his chair and screamed in shock. 

"The fuck, Barnes?!" He demanded once his eyes found the usually silent and reclusive super soldier stood behind him, having yet again used his super secret spy training to sneak up on him. His dog, Mick, stood at his side, staring up at Tony with those unnervingly bright eyes. "Haven't I told you to keep out of my lab?! I'm pretty sure I told you to keep out of my lab." 

"Sorry," Barnes murmured, lowering his eyes to the ground like he usually did when he realised he'd disobeyed Tony. Disobeyed anyone, really; Tony remembered how Steve got upset when the ex-assassin did that. Wait, where was Steve? 

"Whatever, just... don't let it happen again," Tony huffed. "I thought Captain Spangle-Butt was supposed to be babysitting you today. Where is he?" 

"Press conference. Said I should tell you if I needed anything whilst he was gone." 

_G_ _reat,_ Tony thought. _I have literally been appointed babysitting duty._  

"What do you want, then?" he demanded, hoping that Barnes would make it quick. He didn't have time to deal with a mopey super soldier right now, he was drawing blueprints for his latest idea. 

"How do you make popcorn?" Barnes repeated simply. 

"Why the hell do you want to know that?" Tony retorted incredulously. 

"I used to do it a lot with Steve." 

"Oh. Okay. Can I join you? I love popcorn." 

The soldier nodded. 

"Cool. FRIDAY! How do you make popcorn?!" 

* * *

Steve returned with Lucille on his heels... 

...to find the kitchen on fire and a shrieking Tony covered in extinguishing foam whilst Bucky and DUM-E brandished fire extinguishers at a burning saucepan. From the living room Mick was watching the spectacle with something akin to amusement on his canine features. 

"What happened?!" Steve demanded, his face twisted in a mask of abstract horror at the sight of all this chaos. Lucille just stared at them blankly, as if she'd retreated into her mind to process what she'd just seen. 

Tony was quick to place the blame on Bucky. "It was his idea," he said, pointing to the assassin who was still battling the blaze in front of him with the fire extinguisher. 

"Buck?! What..?" 

"We were making popcorn," Bucky explained quietly, firing a final burst at the flames. "We forgot the oil; that's why it caught fire." 

Steve stared dumbly at Bucky; Bucky stared back. Tony glared at DUM-E; the little robot bleeped, oblivious to its creator's ire. Lucille stared at all of them one by one alongside Mick.

And simply shook her head, smiling lightly. 

"You people never cease to amaze me," she chuckled. "Never has a patient had a more eventful personal life; I'm almost in envy, James." 

Bucky didn't say anything; he simply gave the fire a last spritz with the extinguisher, snuffing it out. 

Lucille just continued to smile politely at him. "I have plenty of time; if you want to carry on making popcorn, I can wait." 

Bucky paused in thought, staring at the pan he and Tony had set alight. 

"Let's get it over with," he eventually decided. "I can try this again later." 

Nodding, Lucille allowed Bucky to walk over to her before leading him and Mick outside towards the garden. "So I take it today was a good one, then." 

They were out before Steve could hear Bucky's response. He was tempted to follow them and find out what Bucky was going to say, but he stopped himself, knowing that Lucille would berate him and remind him of the patient-doctor confidentiality that she constantly stuck to. 

"I'm not a mind reader," Tony – currently wiping off the extinguishing foam with little success – began, interrupting Steve's thoughts, "But I think that was a good thing. What Bucky said, I mean. Luci seemed happy with it." 

"I hope so," Steve sighed, looking through the windows  and out towards where his friend sat in the middle of the yard next to Mick and Lucille. "I really hope so." 

"It takes time," Tony stated, walking over to him. He looked unsure about something. "And... you know you're not  going to get the same guy after this, right?" 

"I just don't want him to live the rest of his life believing he's a monster."


End file.
